43-year-old Julia Newton-Mercer traveled to the Italian island of Sardinia back in 2022. While relaxing by the hotel pool, she noticed a bite on her left ankle.
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At first, the woman thought it was a simple mosquito bite – the area was red, itchy, and irritated.
However, after returning to the United Kingdom, the situation worsened. The bite remained painful, the itching irritated her, so Julia consulted a family doctor who prescribed antibiotics.
Still, doctors could not determine exactly what caused the reaction, and the wound only worsened.
“After a few weeks, my legs started to hurt terribly. The pain kept getting stronger and stronger,” the woman said.
The situation was further worsened by an injury when she accidentally hit her leg on a chair. The bite site ulcerated, and a large black blister formed around it.
Eventually, Julia was rushed to the hospital due to sepsis – a life-threatening body reaction to infection. The woman feared she might lose both legs.
Fortunately, doctors managed to perform what she calls a “life-saving” five-and-a-half-hour surgery. But that was not the end – it was followed by another 10 months of complex treatment, several skin grafts in 2024 and 2025.
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Today, Julia still cannot walk for long without assistive devices and had to leave her job due to her health condition.
One surgeon’s words stuck with her for life: “Either we try to operate this morning, or in the afternoon you will be going to the morgue.”
Suspected dangerous spider
The exact cause was never determined, but Julia’s doctor friend believes the culprit could have been a violin spider (also known as the brown recluse). Its venom can, in some cases, cause tissue necrosis – tissue death.
“I would never have thought this could happen. Essentially, I had to mourn the life I lost,” the woman said.
What do doctors and the victim herself advise?
Julia urges when traveling to countries where dangerous insects or spiders may be present to:
use strong repellent products;
cover exposed skin as much as possible;
not delay a doctor’s consultation if the bite does not heal, becomes very red, painful, or worsens.
“If a bite worries you – get checked and return to doctors again. I didn’t know about such spiders and, apparently, I was just very unlucky,” she said.
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